Margie Warrell, bestselling authorQuestion #1: As of now, how has the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the various work, community, and travel-related restrictions being set in place impacted your life, personally and professionally?
Margie’s Answer: Profoundly. All of my engagements have been cancelled. My children have all been forced to leave their college accommodations or simply do school virtually. My book tour has been cancelled. My husband is sick in the hospital fighting this coronavirus and I’m in 14-day quarantine. I’d say that’s profound enough.
Question #2: What heartfelt "best-ever boss" words of wisdom do you have to share with leaders and aspiring leaders?
Margie’s Answer: Be braver than you want to be. Embracing discomfort is a prerequisite for your success.
Margie shares more detail in this message from her March 24, 2020 Live Bravely Newsletter:
Last Friday, my husband Andrew was diagnosed with coronavirus. It’s been a challenging few days. He is fit and strong and has avoided any respiratory issues or secondary lung infection, but this virus has laid him flat.
Right now, he is still running a high fever and yet to turn the corner. I’m sure he will... and hopefully today. But until then, I’d appreciate if you could send a few prayers his way.
I also invite you to read the blog I wrote the day after his hospitalization. Channeling my energy into my work right now is the most fruitful thing I can do, in between tripling – no, quadrupling – down on my own self-care rituals to keep myself feeling strong in body, mind and spirit.
I know I’m one of the millions feeling anxious and vulnerable right now. I know that you too will have many moments you feel too stretched to feel as calm, optimistic, grounded and brave as you want to be.
It’s why all of us need to focus on what will help us weather this storm better and emerge the other side of it stronger, wiser, more connected to each other and more intentional with our one and only precious life.
This pandemic holds many lessons. One of the most important is the fragility of human life. Yet, in this moment of collective vulnerability, there is so much love and beauty to be found. I’ve felt it poured into me in recent days and I know you’ve witnessed it also.
So thank you for your love and support.
Please love hard on those around you. Acknowledge your fears but trust in your capacity to rise above them.
One day, one moment, at a time.
We are all in this together.
We are all braver than we know. You. Me. All of us.
Let’s rise together to meet this moment.
About Margie Warrell: A bestselling author, Margie Warrell emboldens people with the courage and resilience to make braver decisions, take bolder actions and create a bigger mark.
Margie draws on her background in business, psychology and coaching to develop better and braver leaders in organizations globally, from the UN Foundation to Salesforce. The titles of her bestselling books - You’ve Got This!, Train the Brave, Make Your Mark, Stop Playing Safe and Find Your Courage – and her Live Brave Podcast, reflect her belief in the potential of every person to overcome the fears and false beliefs that keep them from achieving the extraordinary. Margie walks her talk when it comes to living bravely, having ventured out of her comfort zone countless times since growing up as one of seven children on a small dairy farm in rural Australia. After attempting kitesurfing with Richard Branson, she raised her sights yet again and recently climbed Mt Kilimanjaro with her husband and four teenage children.
Find more inspiration at margiewarrell.com
